Parachuting Keeps 88-Year-Old Bosnian Man Fit

An 88-year-old man from Bosnia is living proof that extreme sports are not just for young people.

Ibrahim Kalesic stays in shape by jumping out of airplanes. And he has done so over almost 1,500 times. The sport is called parachuting. It involves using a special cloth called a parachute to jump out of an airplane high above the ground. The parachute reduces the speed at which a person falls.

Kalesic was introduced to the sport more than 70 years ago. Over the weekend, he completed his 1,487th jump during a parachuting competition held in the western Bosnian town of Bihac.

He told Reuters, "I feel super, rested psychologically and enjoying great company."

He also said, "I am the oldest active parachuter in Europe."

As a young man, Kalesic underwent training at a flying center in Serbia. He later became a parachuting instructor. In 1963, he set a record in the former Yugoslavia by jumping out of a plane that was 5,500 meters above sea level.

Kalesic does more than jumping out of airplanes to stay healthy and fit. He told Reuters he exercises each day for 15 minutes. His wife, he said, makes sure he eats healthy foods.

He follows some other simple steps to keep fit at his age.

Kalesic said, "Parachuting is an extreme sport and requires concentration. To be well concentrated, one has to sleep well, and to sleep well one has to have a clear consciousness that one has not offended or harmed anyone..."

I'm Gregory Stachel.

Reuters staff reported this story. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters.

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psychological – adj. of or relating to the mind

fit - adj. in good physical condition

pension – n. an amount of money that a company or the government pays to a person who is old or sick and no longer works

concentration – n. the ability to give your attention or thought to a single object or activity

consciousness – n. a person's mind and thoughts